Friday rant School Trips cost an arm and a leg...

What price do you put on education if you go to a state school. There is the constant demands from an early age for trip money. If you do not pay your child will suffer blah blah. Now this is hard enough in this economic climate if you have one child but if you have more the pressures are even greater. Now J my son is a truly able sportsman

Now its been a constant ask all through his school life so far for trips,charity , school PGL but I was not prepared for the shock of the cost of senior school. Now J does not go to private school just a academy school but it s like private school. For the off there was trip after trip  first skiing, then cricket , three lots of rugby, singing . Now I am pleased my son is talented I really am but I felt the need to draw the line somewhere so I said NO to the rugby tour. He was a little crestfallen but he got on with his life, We all have to make sacrifices in this world.

Then came the school sports award night. J had already won various certifaces for academic achievement being best in his class etc glowing report etc. Model child, etc not stereo typical of Only
child syndrome. Well on the night he picked up award after award culminating in the sports personality of the year. Basically the teacher said if there was a tiddlywinks team he's be in it. Now faced which this pride how could I refuse to NOT send him on the rugby tour. So another cost for me so far these trips total up as £750 for skiing, £120 for cricket, £350 for rugby not to mention £50 for another rugby trip ,£25 for singing trip and another £25 for another rugby trip . I try not to  add it up, knowing it is such a scary amount. And all this is before spending money, clothes etc. This is where I came up with a plan to sell stuff on that internet auction site. Good opportunity to clear out etc and help pay for all these trips. First up was Mr T's organ he didn't use it any more , it was just there gathering dust. I know it was hard but I just had to let it go.....

There you've seen it Mr T's organ, also I started selling his train set as well. All little amounts help, the school were puzzled as I started paying off these little amounts and indeed ring to ask me was this right. You do what you have to do so your child has a better life etc, but at what cost.? Well as my son was airlifted off the slopes of Mount Blanc earliar last year you start to wonder....

And now he's off to do his Duke of Edinburgh initial cost £80 .. then there's the equipment list ... oh , oh how we laughed in our household that night.

CLOTHING

updated
11 December 2012
(replaces all previous versions)

Got it	Packed it	Item needed	Specific items we recommend
		1 pair walking boots (broken in)	Brasher Fellmaster boot, very suitable for Silver/Gold expeditions
		2 pairs walking socks	Bridgedale Woolfusion Trekker, Bridgedale Women’s Woolfusion Trekker, Bridgedale Woolfusion Trail
		2 pairs sock liners (optional)	Bridgedale Coolmax Liner, Bridgedale Women’s Coolmax Liner
		2-3 t-shirts	Craghoppers – Base Tee
		Thermal t-shirt (optional)	Craghoppers – Base Tee
		2 fleece tops or similar	Craghoppers – Mission half-zip micro fleece, Mission Fleece jacket
		2 walking trousers (warm, NOT jeans)	Craghoppers – Terrain Trousers, Ventura Trousers
		Underwear
		Nightwear
		Flipflops/trainers/sandals etc (optional for evenings)
		Warm hat &/or sunhat (as appropriate)
		1 pair gloves (if appropriate)
		1 pair shorts (if appropriate)
		Sunblock (if appropriate)	Lifesystems - Mountain Formula SPF25, Mountain Formula SPF50, Mountain Combi Stick SPF50
		1 pair gaiters (optional)
		Waterproof over-trousers	Craghoppers – Pakka Plus Overtrousers
		Cagoule/coat (waterproof & windproof)	Craghoppers – Terrain Lite Shell, Pakka Plus Jacket

PERSONAL KIT

Got it	Packed it	Item needed	Specific items we recommend
		Rucksack	Vango – Contour, Sherpa, Pumori
		Rucksack liner (or 2 strong plastic bags)	Lifeventure – Dri-store Bags (2, 5, 10, 15, 25, 40, 70 litres)
		Sleeping mat	Vango – Adventure, Trek, Ultralite
		Sleeping bag	Vango – Nitestar, Ultralite, Supernova, Latitude, Venom
		Waterproof bag for storing sleeping bag	Lifeventure – Dri-store Bags (2, 5, 10, 15, 25, 40, 70 litres)
		Sleeping bag liner (optional)	Lifeventure – Expedition Cotton Rectangle Sleeper, Expedition Cotton Mummy Sleeper
		Survival bag	Lifesystems – Thermal Bag, Thermal Blanket, Survival Bag, Blizzard Bag
		Small quantity of money (optional)
		Notebook & pen/pencil

continued over...

...continued

Got it	Packed it	Item needed	Specific items we recommend
		Watch
		Whistle	Lifesystems – Survival Whistle, Safety Whistle
		Torch (handheld or head torch)	Lifesystems – Intensity 60 Torch, Intensity 220 Torch,
		Spare batteries & bulb for torch
		Personal first aid kit (see below)	Lifesystems – Camping first aid kit, Trek first aid kit, Burns first aid kit
		Emergency food rations
		Water bottle (1-2 Litres)	Lifeventure – Stainless Steel Bottle (600ml, 800ml), Tritan Flask (500ml, 1000ml)
		Knife, fork, spoon	Lifeventure – Basic Knife Fork & Spoon Set, Folding Knife Fork & Spoon Set
		Small pocket knife/pocket tool	Victorinox – Pocket Tool
		Plate/bowl	Lifeventure – Camping Bowl, Camping Plate, Titanium Plate, Lexan Camping Set
		Mug	Lifeventure – Camping Mug, Titanium Mug
		Box of matches (in waterproof container)	Lifesystems – Windproof Matches
		Wash kit/personal hygiene items (some items could be shared as a group)	Lifeventure – Wash Bag (Small), All Purpose Soap, Dry Wash Gel
		Towel	Lifeventure – Expedition Trek Towel (Small, Medium, Large)

PERSONAL FIRST AID KIT
A personal first aid kit should include the following:

Got it	Packed it	Item needed
		At least 2 pairs of disposable vinyl (latex-free) disposable gloves
		A large individually-wrapped sterile unmedicated wound dressing
		An individually wrapped sterile unmedicated wound dressing
		An assortment of individually wrapped sterile unmedicated adhesive dressings (e.g. Melolin squares)
		An individually wrapped triangular bandage
		2-3 individually wrapped antiseptic wipes
		Crêpe bandage
		Large safety pins
		Small pair of safety/medical scissors
		A pair of tweezers
		Assorted adhesive plasters (e.g. zinc oxide, fabric strip, waterproof)
		Microporous (medical) adhesive tape
		Blister plasters
		Chiropody felt
		Burns wound dressing
		Eye wash (can also act as a wound wash)

Participants should make the Expedition Supervisor, Assessor, other staff and team members aware of any relevant medical condition that may impact on their (or others’) safety. Participants should also make people aware if they are allergic to anything, including antibiotics or any other medicine or drug.
In discussion with their Expedition Supervisor, participants might also include in their personal first aid kit appropriate personal medication, painkillers, antiseptic cream, antihistemine/bite cream and rehydration tablets/sachets.

GROUP KIT (to carry between the team)

Got it	Packed it	Item needed	Specific items we recommend
		Tent(s)	Vango – Hurricane, Typhoon, Spectre, Apex, Chinook, Mirage, Banshee, Equinox, Tempest, Cyclone, Halo, Omega, Spirit
		Camping stove(s)	Trangia – 25-1UL, 25-5UL, 25-1GB/UL, 25-2GB/UL, 27-1UL, 25-5GB/UL, 27-5UL, 27-1GB/UL, 27-5GB/UL, Trangia Gas Burner Vango Folding Gas Stove: Compact, lightweight gas stove good for Silver and Gold teams
		Camping stove fuel in an appropriate & safe container	Trangia – Fuel Bottle 0.5L, 1.0L
		Cooking pans	Included with Trangia stoves
		Scourers
		Tea towels
		Food (lightweight & including snacks)
		Plastic bags (for rubbish etc.)
		Toilet paper
		Maps (1:50 000/1:25 000)	OS custom made - OS Explorer Map or OS Landranger Maps centred on your expedition. See www.DofE.org/go/os
		Compass(es)
		Map cases
		Camera (optional)

ADDITIONAL OPTIONAL KIT for you to consider
These are items that might not be necessary on every expedition but which can be very useful/essential in certain situations.

Got it	Packed it	Item needed	Specific items we recommend
		Storm shelter	Vango – Storm Shelter.
		Stove multidisc	Trangia – Multidisc 25 series, Multidisc 27 series
		After-sun cream
		Insect repellent	Lifesystems – Expedition 50+ Insect Repellent, Natural 40+ Insect Repellent
		Stopwatch
		Mosquito net	Lifesystems – Micronet Mosquito Nets
		Emergency lightsticks	Lifesystems – 12h Light Stick
		Water purifying tablets	Lifesystems – Chlorine Dioxide Tablets
		Travel plug	Lifesystems – Travel Adaptor
		Waterproof bags	Lifeventure – Aloksak Mulitpack
		Security pouch	Lifeventure – Body Wallet (Waist, Chest)
		Waterproofing (pre-expedition )	Nikwax: Tech Wash 100ml Pouch, TX.Direct Wash-In 100ml Pouch, Footwear Cleaning Gel 125ml, Fabric & Leather Proof 125ml sponge on or spray on, Nubuck & Suede Proof 125ml sponge on or spray on, Tent & Gear Solarproof 500ml, Tech Wash 300ml bottle, TX.Direct Wash-In 300ml bottle.
		Pre-packed expedition food	Vestey Foods (www.DofE.org/go/vestey) single pouches & 12 hour packs
		String
		Spare boot laces
		Tin opener
		Sunglasses
		Ball, playing cards etc.
		Menu guidance	DofE Outdoor Eating App (iPhone only currently). Search: Outdoor Eating (www.DofE.org/go/outdooreating)
		Hydration pack	Vango 2L Hydration pack
		Trowel

You must read this brilliant article on School trips